HOSHIARPUR
BUSTED: The city police has busted an inter-district gang of thieves with the arrest of four of its members , including their leader, in the Bahadurpur choe area, while they were planning to commit a theft here on Friday. Mr Sanjeev Kalra , SSP, said those arrested had been identified as Kamaljit of Jalandhar, Taran of Balmik mohalla, Jalandhar, Akash, alias Mintu of Monpur village in Jalandhar and Raj Kumar, alias Raja, of Badala village. The police has seized jewellery and household goods worth lakhs of rupees from them.

ROAD MISHAP: Ms Sham Rani, wife of Sham Singh, a resident of Udhampur, died on the spot while Deepak Dhillon, Amit, Ajay Verma and Manoj were wounded when a bus ( DLP A 2855) turned turtle near Khiowal on the Hoshiarpur-Dasuya road on Friday. The bus was going to Delhi from Katra. All injured persons have been admitted to the local Civil Hospital. A case has been registered.

OPIUM SEIZED: The Garhshankar police has arrested Rakesh Kumar of Garhi Mansowal and Parveen Kumar and recovered 2 kg opium from them. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against them.

KHARAR
CEREMONY: The joint installation ceremony of Mr Karam Singh Mundi, president, Rotary Club, Kharar, and Ms Babli Dhiman, president, Inner Wheel, Kharar, and other office-bearers was held at Arya Girl College, here on Sunday. Mr Hemant Arora, DGE 2002-03, was the chief guest. He lauded the services rendered by the Rotary Club and asked them to pay attention towards increasing membership of the club, Mr Manmohan Singh, Assistant Governor, Rotay Club, Mr Mundi, Mr Balwant Singh Rangi, Mr Harpreet Singh Rekhi, Mrs Harinder Kaur Mundi, Mrs Dhiman, Mrs Veena Gupta were among others who addressed the gathering .

VACCINATION: As many as 236 persons, including children, were ‘vaccinated against hepatitis-B at a camp organised by the Lions Club, Kharar, on Sunday. According to a press note, the next dose to these persons will be given on August 15.

MEETING: The BJP Yuva Morcha, Kharar, has decided to form committees in all municipal wards of Kharar and important villages. This step was taken here at a meeting of the Yuva Morcha presided over by Mr Gulshan Sethi.

MALERKOTLA
BLOOD DONATION CAMP: The local New Century Lions Club on Sunday organised a blood donation camp under the supervision of the Civil Hospital at Kali Mata mandir. According to the club’s president, Mr Rajesh Anand, at least 30 persons donated their blood. Mr Gurlovleen Singh Sidhu, SDM, presided over the camp.

RESENTMENT: Resentment prevails among residents of Khatikan mohalla, Sirhandi Gate, Talab Bazar, bus stand road and Alfalab colony against the failure of the municipal committee to clear the rain and sewage water which entered their houses.

MANSA
BAN IMPOSED: Ms Raji P. Shrivastava, District Magistrate, on Saturday banned the use of polythene bags in the district. She has also prohibited the use of loudspeakers and instructed all marriage places, hotels and restaurants to get no-objection certificates within 15 days. The order will remain effective till September 6.

MERIT LISTS: In the matriculation examination conducted by the Punjab School Education Board 20 out of 19 position have been secured by the students of local Chetan Singh Sarvhitkari Senior Secondary Vidya Bharti School. This was stated by Mr N.S. Singla, Principal. He said out of 152 students 41 had secured more than 80 per cent marks.

MOGA
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT: Taking cognisance of media reports and complaints from parents about corporal punishment to school students at Kotkapura, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission has directed the police to inquire into it and report by July 25. According to Mr Gurpreet Singh Gill, SP (Faridkot), the task of probing the alleged case pertaining to class V has been entrusted to Mr Manahor Singh, DSP.

ADULTERATED LIQUOR: The country liquor sold in villages of the district have been found to be adulterated and liquor bottles in several cases were leaking. Several consumers told mediapersons here on Sunday that even the liquor bottles from government vends were not of the same standard as supplied by the reputed distilleries.

SUBSTANDARD SAMPLES: Out of 170 samples of various foodgrains taken by the Agriculture Department in the district during past few days, as many as six have been found to be substandard. This was stated by the District Agriculture Officer, Mr Kartar Singh Brar, at a meeting chaired by the Deputy Commissioner, on Saturday.

FUNDS DISTRIBUTED: The district administration has so far distributed Rs 56.52 lakh out of Rs 64.88 lakh it received from the Punjab Government, among the farmers who suffered losses last year due to distress sale of paddy. This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, Moga, Mr Kanwalbir Singh Sidhu, here on Saturday.

STUDENTS’ BODY: Chand Singh Madaan was re-elected as chairman of the Haryana Students Association by the executive council here on Sunday. A press note said the ‘temporary body’ of the association had been dissolved. Ravinder Singh ‘Robin’ has been retained as president. Yashwant Yadav (chairman), Sanjeev Sheoran (general secretary) and Sandeep Goyal (senior vice-president) have been relieved from their posts. Madaan said rest of the office-bearers of the body would be chosen soon.

DRIVE: A week-long tree plantation drive was launched by the Transport Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police on their unit premises, near the airport, on Sunday. A statement issued here said that the drive was launched jointly by the Additional DIG, Mr J.C. Rana, and the battalion Commandant, Mr A.S. Chhina. About 170 saplings of fruit trees were planted.

FUNCTION: The valedictory function of the refresher course in performing and visual arts was held in the seminar hall of the ICCSR building of Panjab University on Friday. The special guest on the occasion was Prof Satya Bhan Sharma. Other dignitaries were Prof Gopal Krishan, Director, Academic Staff College, and Dr Urmi Kessar, Prof Saroj Ghosh and Mr Arvind K. Sharma.

AMBALA
PROGRAMME: A cultural programme ‘Navrang’ was organised by the Chunmun Club at the Railway auditorium, Ambala Cantonment, on Saturday. The Divisional Railway Manager, Mr Deepak Krishan, was the chief guest. ‘Archana’ was performed by Muskan, Meenakshi, Sanchi, Shubhi, Lovleen and Sunaina. While ‘Paroon Mein Bandhan Hain’ was by Apoorva, Sanchi and others, ‘Bhoomro’ was by Chetna. Taranjot and others. Classical was presented by Muskan and Meenakshi. Besides dancing to the tune of ‘Thodi Si to Lift Kara Do’ by Naman and others, Western was presented by Kunal and Chandok. ‘Dhamal’ dance was performed by Kanupriya, Shivam, Muskan, Sanchi, Apoorva, Damanpreet, Ruchi and Sunakshi.

INAUGURATED: The local MLA, Mrs Veena Chibbar, inaugurated the construction work of the road leading to Rattangarh village. According to the president of the municipal council, Mr Rajinder Guddu, the road will cost around Rs 15 lakh. Residents of the area have been demanding this road for past several years.

BILASPUR
ELECTED: Following have been elected office-bearers of the HPSEB Technical Employees Union: president — Mr Devraj Sharma; senior vice-president — Mr Hoshiyar Singh Chandel; general secretary — Mr Satya Prakash Thakur; and finance secretary — Mr Dunichand Thakur.

DECLAMATION CONTEST: A declamation contest was organised by the District Information and Public Relations Department at Daslehada, 65 km from here, on Saturday. The topic of the contest was ‘nasha nivaran abhiyan’. Pankaj (Daslehada High School) stood first and Upma Sharma and Jaswinder Kaur of Senior Secondary School, Auhar, stood second and third, respectively.

HAMIRPUR
COURSE: The Department of Humanities and Applied Sciences of Regional Engineering College here is organising a 13-day course on revitalisation of technical education for new millennium. Thirty participants from various institutions of the country would attend the course, said Dr Plar Chand Rehal and Dr Ravi Sharma, coordinators of the course.

TEACHERS’ DECISION: Members of the HP Government School Teachers Union led by Mr Roshan Lal Sharma will burn effigy of the Education Minister, Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, on the Teachers Day for his anti-teacher stance.” Mr Sharma announced a decision to this effect while addressing a press conference here on Saturday.